Stephen Curry reinjures ankle in Warriors loss

WARRIORS

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry crawls to the sideline after being injured late in the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings in an NBA preseason basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. Curry was carried off the court to be examined. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) less

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry crawls to the sideline after being injured late in the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings in an NBA preseason basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, ... more

Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press

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Ish Smith

Ish Smith

Photo: Steve Yeater, Associated Press

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Ish Smith, Jimmer Fredette

Ish Smith, Jimmer Fredette

Photo: Steve Yeater, Associated Press

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Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins, right, reaches for a rebound against Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Dec., 20, 2011.(AP Photo/Steve Yeater) less

Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins, right, reaches for a rebound against Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., ... more

Photo: Steve Yeater, Associated Press

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Monta Ellis, Marcus Thornton, J.J. Hickson

Monta Ellis, Marcus Thornton, J.J. Hickson

Photo: Steve Yeater, Associated Press

Stephen Curry reinjures ankle in Warriors loss

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Sacramento -- Power forward David Lee couldn't pretend to be interested in the Warriors' huddle during the final seconds of the first half.

His heart and his eyes were on the south tunnel at Power Balance Pavilion, where the team's future and arguably the most important piece of their present had just been helped to the locker room.

Point guard Stephen Curry turned his surgically repaired right ankle in an ugly scene in the final minute of the first half of ' the Warriors' 95-91 loss to the Kings on Tuesday night.

Curry was trying to defend Jimmer Fredette's crossover at the top of the key when his ankle gave way. He crawled toward the sideline at midcourt in agony and put little pressure on the troublesome ankle as teammates Charles Jenkins and Tommy Mitchell acted as his crutches for the trip to the locker room.

Team doctors diagnosed Curry with a sprained ankle, and he will be re-examined today, according to the Warriors.

Lee had team highs with 30 points and 12 rebounds, Monta Ellis added 19 points and six assists, and Curry had seven points, five assists and three steals in 15 minutes before his injury.

Curry severely sprained the same ankle three times last season, missing a portion of the exhibition season and eight regular-season games. The Warriors believed that Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist at the OrthoCarolina Clinic in Charlotte, N.C., had repaired instability in the ankle in May.

"We got to the bottom of it, got it fixed, and it shouldn't be any problem going forward," general manager Larry Riley said this summer.

Curry averaged 18.6 points, 5.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds a game last season. He is the first player to shoot better than 45 percent from the floor, 40 percent from the three-point line and 85 percent from the free-throw line in his first two seasons.

The condensed, 66-game season starts Christmas night. If Curry misses extended time, the point guard duties will be split between second-year waiver claim Ish Smith and rookie Jenkins.

Briefly: Center Kwame Brown and Smith made their Warriors' debuts. Brown had six points and four rebounds in 17 minutes, and Smith had two points and three assists in 19 minutes. ... Swingman Brandon Rush, who was acquired Sunday in a trade for Lou Amundson, watched the game in street clothes. He arrived in the Bay Area late Monday and hadn't practiced with the team.

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